When I saw this link, I was expecting to find just another wussification of America's youth story, but boy was I surprised. This is messed up right here. A time-out is supposed to be for a few minutes, maybe 10-15, not 3 friggin hours.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP)  After failing to finish a reading assignment, 8-year-old Isabel Loeffler was sent to the school's time-out room  a converted storage area under a staircase  where she was left alone for three hours.

The autistic Iowa girl wet herself before she was finally allowed to leave.

Appalled, her parents removed her from the school district and filed a lawsuit.

When I saw this link, I was expecting to find just another wussification of America's youth story, but boy was I surprised. This is messed up right here. A time-out is supposed to be for a few minutes, maybe 10-15, not 3 friggin hours.

Good, I am glad the parents are suing the school. What they did to that little girl is a form of abuse.

There are so many people who should be held accountable for this it boggles my mind. How did the school let something like this happen? Why wasn't she supervised by an adult? Why didn't they let her go to the restroom? A child with autism has a hard time being still, it's in their wiring to make a lot of movements.

I am the mother of an autistic child. on the outskirts of the spectrum actually, meaning he functions quite well, he just has trouble processing things. Sometimes children need time outs. Even autistic ones. But there is a long standing unwritten rule on time outs. One minute for each year of the child's life; i.e.,- a two year old gets two minutes, a five year old, 5. Some children have explosive personalities, which means that when they are being most disruptive, the child MUST be removed from the general area of the disruption. Time out rooms are made for this.

The story you linked to is in no way a normal example of the time out room usage. The link shows a clear abuse case, and the parents are correct in taking legal action. But I think the thread title is misleading. It leads the reader to assume that time out rooms are bad. They aren't. But like everything else, it can be abused.

When I saw this link, I was expecting to find just another wussification of America's youth story, but boy was I surprised. This is messed up right here. A time-out is supposed to be for a few minutes, maybe 10-15, not 3 friggin hours.

DISCLAIMER: I THINK WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS GIRL IS CRIMINAL AND THAT HER PARENTS ARE CORRECT FOR TAKING LEGAL ACTION! I THINK WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS GIRL IS CRIMINAL AND THAT HER PARENTS ARE CORRECT FOR TAKING LEGAL ACTION! I THINK WHAT HAPPENED TO THIS GIRL IS CRIMINAL AND THAT HER PARENTS ARE CORRECT FOR TAKING LEGAL ACTION!

That being said - I do think that this incident, and other incidents like it (there was another case of a primary student being arrested for an outburst in her elementary classroom recently) are indicative of a growing problem.

While some here are pointing to negative experiences they have had with one or two educators as evidence that school officials are out of control...the truth is that the vast majority of teachers and administrators are simply individuals who have chosen to make their careers teaching and helping young people...and who find themselves in increasingly challenging situations with no good or easy solutions.

It may turn out that leaving students in this "time out room" for hours at a time was standard...if so, this school should be sued and people should be prosecuted. But, far more likely, is that the child was forgotten when classes changed, other students required attention, and the day carried on...IT IS STILL SHOCKING AND WRONG...but I'm not sure I'm quite ready to proclaim the school Marquis De Sade Elementary School instead of - overworked, overwrought school without proper procedures in place to make sure that this sort of thing doesn't happen.

I teach in a very well reputed school. It receives awards and is THE district to move into. Even with all of our positives...we are still dealing with students who are increasingly disruptive and unruly...increasingly large populations of special education students with needs far greater than can be met by one aide per 3 or 4 kids...parents who call to try to get teachers fired because they "humiliated" their child, but having them miss a free period to do work that they didn't complete at home...etc.

Again...please re-read my disclaimer...I'm not saying that the school in question doesn't need to face some major investigations for what happened...what I am saying is that I feel this article is only a highlight of the increased difficulties schools are having in how to discipline students while still maintaining a positive learning environment.

For all of you exclaiming your righteous indignation, I have a question ...

What is it that you folks think can be done to your precious darlings to enforce discipline?

I'm not saying that I agree with this particular instance, nor form of punishment, but it DOES lead to the root question I just voiced.

My autograph adorns half the (now retired -- some retired by overuse on me I'm sure!) paddles in South Texas and South Florida. I can think of few instances where I didn't do my best to earn those licks.

Everyone demands a learning environment, but schools/teachers have pretty much been emasculated as far as instilling discipline and good order; both, requirements to establish the learning environment.

In other words, you want to have your cake and eat it too. So I'd like to hear from the "don't touch my blameless little angel" crowd some REALISTIC possible solutions.

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